This application relates to a method and apparatus for planting seed in seed germinating trays. The invention described in this application is particularly useful for large nurseries and other agricultural businesses which plant and germinate seeds in very high quantities and require high productivity.
The germinating trays which are typically used with the invention are usually constructed of lightweight, molded plastic. Depending on the eventual size of the desired plant, the germinating tray may have any desired number of cups. Three typical sizes of cups are 4 cups wide by 12 cups deep, giving a total of 48 cups; 4 cups wide by 24 deep, giving a total of 288 cups; or, 14 cups wide by 28 cups deep, giving a total of 392 cups.
As is apparent, planting individual seeds in such a large number of small trays is extremely tedious and physically exhausting work. Even a well trained worker can plant only a small fraction of the number of seeds as is possible with the invention disclosed in this application.
In addition to high productivity, great accuracy in planting the seeds is very important. In order for the seed to properly germinate and grow to its desired height, it should be planted to a very precise depth in the exact geometric center of its cup. this is likewise very difficult for a worker to do, especially when working very rapidly in order to achieve high production.
Therefore, automatic seed planting is a very cost effective and efficient way improving productivity, and prior art seed planters are known which pick up and plant seeds one row at a time. Such a prior art apparatus is shown in the Blackmore, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,078. Blackmore discloses a seed planting apparatus (FIG. 6) which is manually operated to plant seeds in a plastic tray one row at a time by using a gang of 12 nozzles which alternately pick up a seed from a seed hopper and deposit it in a single row of a tray positioned below. However, the overall productivity of the machine is still relatively low.
Insofar as applicant is aware, no previous machine has completely mechanized the seed planting process so that seeds may be planted for extended periods of time without manual intervention.